Illinois becomes one of the first Midwest states to allow over-the-counter birth control

by Brooke Seipel - 07/23/21 7:07 PM ET

A new law signed this week by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) will allow residents of the state to access birth control over the counter.

The law, signed by Pritzker on Thursday, will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2022.

The legislation mandates that state-regulated insurance covers birth control and aims to make sure contraception remains affordable in the state.

It allows pharmacists to provide 12 months of hormonal contraceptives — such as birth control pills, rings and patches — without a prescription from a doctor.

“This legislation that I’m signing into law today makes Illinois one of the first states in the Midwest to provide birth control over the counter, making contraceptives all the more accessible and affordable in our state,” Pritzker said.

“In 2019, when I signed the Reproductive Health Act into law, I said that in Illinois we guarantee as a fundamental right, a woman’s right to choose. Today, we take yet another stand to fulfill that promise,” he added.

The new law makes Illinois the eighth state to offer access to birth control over the counter, joining California, Colorado, Hawaii, New Mexico, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington.

Tags Birth control Birth control in the United States Contraception Hormonal contraception Illinois over the counter the pill